Mary Black (born 23 May 1955 in Dublin) is an Irish singer. She is well kno… Read Full Bio ↴Mary Black (born 23 May 1955 in Dublin) is an Irish singer. She is well known as an interpreter of both folk and contemporary material which has made her a major recording artist in her native Ireland and in many other parts of the world. She was named "Best Female Artist" in the IRMA poll in 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994 and 1996.

Black was born into a musical family. Her father had been a fiddler, her mother a singer, and her brothers have their own group. She sang in her family's group in her youth.

In 1975 Black joined a small folk band called General Humbert, with whom she toured Europe and released two albums, in 1975 and 1978. In 1982 she developed a professional relationship with musician/producer Declan Sinnott and recorded her first solo album, Mary Black.

She went on to play in other groups including the traditional Irish band De Dannan from 1984-1986. After 1986 she had a successful solo career where she went on to try contemporary styles ranging from jazz to country. She was named "Best Female Artist" in the IRMA poll in 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994 and 1996.

She is married to Joe O'Reilly of Dara Records and they have three children. Her son Danny is a member of the Irish rock band The Coronas, while her daughter Róisín is performing under the name Róisín O.

For a number of years, "What Hi-Fi?" magazine considered Black's voice to be so pure that it was used as an audiophile benchmark for comparing the sound quality of different high fidelity systems.

Discography

* 1983 Mary Black
* 1984 Collected
* 1985 Without the Fanfare
* 1987 By the Time it Gets Dark
* 1989 No Frontiers
* 1991 Babes in the Wood
* 1992 The Collection
* 1993 The Holy Ground
* 1995 Circus
* 1997 Shine
* 1999 Speaking with the Angel
* 2001 The Best of Mary Black 1991-2001 & Hidden Harvest
* 2003 Mary Black Live
* 2005 Full Tide
* 2008 Twenty-Five Years Twenty-Five Songs
* 2011 Stories from the Steeples

Diamond Days
Mary Black Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I have written this song
For you to take with you
When you go away
Something to sing and slowly swing to
On your colder days
I have made a start
With a verse and a chorus
The rest I leave to you

And when next I see your smiling face
We might sing it right through

Chorus

I'll be your sweetheart always
And I'll love the memories of the diamond days
I'll keep a candle burning
'till we sing again the diamond days

If the words don't rhyme
Then I will forgive you
That won't be the crime
But the staring space
Upon the page
That might look like mine
I have made a start
With a verse and a chorus
The rest I'll leave to you
And when next I see your smiling face
We might sing it right through

Chorus

Overall Meaning

Mary Black's song "Diamond Days" is a heartfelt tribute to a loved one who is leaving. The lyrics express the singer's desire to provide comfort and a sense of closeness to the person even in their absence. The song begins with the singer explaining that she has written the song for her loved one to take with them when they go away. She wants the song to serve as a soothing presence for them during the times that they feel lonely or cold. The singer has started off the song with a verse and a chorus, but she leaves room for the loved one to fill in the rest of the lyrics. When they meet again, they could sing the song together.

The chorus is a declaration of love and commitment. The singer promises to always be there for the loved one and cherish the memories they have shared. Even when they are apart, the singer will keep a candle burning, waiting for the day they can sing together again. The singer also assures the loved one that if the words in the song don't rhyme, it's alright because what matters most is the connection between them. The song is a tender and vulnerable expression of love and connection that transcends physical distance.

Line by Line Meaning

I have written this song
I wrote this song for you.

For you to take with you
So you have something to remember me by when you leave.

When you go away
When you're no longer with me.

Something to sing and slowly swing to
This song is meant to be sung and enjoyed in times when you need some comfort.

On your colder days
During the times when you need warmth and love the most.

I have made a start
I've started the song.

With a verse and a chorus
I've put together some parts for you to work with.

The rest I leave to you
I trust you to finish this with your own creativity and emotions.

And when next I see your smiling face
The next time we meet and see each other happy.

We might sing it right through
We can finish this song by singing it together.

I'll be your sweetheart always
I'll always be your loving and affectionate partner.